Kiev snipers hired by new coalition, not Yanukovych - Estonian FM to Ashton

Photo: RIA

The snipers who shot at protesters and police in Kiev were allegedly hired by Maidan leaders, according to a leaked phone conversation between the EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton and Estonian foreign affairs minister, which has emerged online.

"There is now stronger and stronger understanding that behind the snipers, it was not Yanukovych, but it was somebody from the new coalition," Paet said during the conversation.

"I think we do want to investigate. I mean, I didn’t pick that up, that’s interesting. Gosh," Ashton answered.

The call took place after Estonia’s FM Urmas Paet visited Kiev on February 25 at the peak of clashes between the pro-EU protesters and security forces in the Ukrainian capital.

Paet also recalled his conversation with a doctor who treated those shot by snipers in Kiev. She said that both protesters and police were shot at by the same people.

"And second, what was quite disturbing, this same Olga [Bogomolets] told as well that all the evidence shows that the people who were killed by snipers from both sides, among policemen and then people from the streets, that they were the same snipers killing people from both sides," the Estonian FM stressed.

"So that she then also showed me some photos she said that as a medical doctor she can say that it is the same handwriting, the same type of bullets, and it’s really disturbing that now the new coalition, that they don’t want to investigate what exactly happened," Paet said.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry has confirmed the authenticity of a telephone conversation posted on the Internet between Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet and EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton regarding the events in Ukraine, the press service of the Estonian Foreign Ministry reports.

"It is extremely unfortunate that this wiretapping was conducted. It’s not an accident that this conversation was posted (on the Internet) today," Paet said. Earlier, he said that the conversation with Ashton took place last week, immediately after the head of the MFA’s return from Ukraine to Estonia.

"My conversation with Ashton took place last week directly after my visit to Ukraine. At that time, I was in Estonia already," he said.

The diplomat refrained from more detailed comments until he "sees the recording".

Paet says he used the ministry’s mobile phone for talks and has no idea how information leak occurred

"I don’t know whether my phone or the one belonging to Ashton was tapped. A journalist of the "Postimees" newspaper told me about the information leak. We have relevant agencies, which are currently conducting an investigation to find out how such a thing happened. There is no sense to make suppositions now . We can only voice our own suppositions in an attempt to explain why this audio record was posted on the Internet a week after the new government started performing its duties," Paet said.

Estonian Minister also said that it was necessary to conduct an independent investigation into the dramatic events involving the death of people during the rallies on the Maidan Square in Kiev.

"The investigators must find out what really occurred in Kiev. Many people want an independent investigation to be carried out in Ukraine. The people responsible for the crimes committed on the Maidan Square in Kiev must be punishable by law," the diplomat said.

"And still, people are seriously concerned about the fact that the new coalition is unwilling to investigate what really occurred there . The understanding of the fact that somebody from the new coalition, not Yanukovych, was behind those snipers is becoming more and more strengthened with every passing day," Paet said in a telephone talk with Ashton.

The conversation between Paet and Ashton took place on February 26, after Paet’s visit to Ukraine. During the conversation, Paet told what he had learned at the meetings in Kiev, and expressed concern about the situation, the press service said. Particular interest was inspired by Paet’s words with reference to doctor Olga Bogomolets who had been rendering medical assistance to the victims in the Maidan, about snipers shooting at people in Kiev.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has paid attention to the audio record of the talk between the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and Estonia’s Foreign Minister Urmas Paet about the situation in Ukraine, a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"We have paid attention to this audio record, and we are surprised to hear that the EU refuses to give its commentary on that score. As you know, some time ago the high-ranking representatives of the EU member countries actively commented on the audio record of Victoria Nuland," a Foreign Ministry official said .

Earlier a remark appeared on the Facebook page of the Russian Foreign Ministry, which said: "As it appears, the European Union is well aware of the fact that the Ukrainian opposition backed the snipers on the Maidan Square!"

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